The Women’s Brain Foundation (WBF), a global non‑profit championing sex‑ and gender‑inclusive brain research, announces the publication of “Sex‑specific in vitro models of brain disorders” in Nature Reviews Bioengineering (https://doi.org/10.1038/s44222-025-00355-w). Led by WBF and in collaboration with an international consortium of neuroscientists and technologists, including experts from the University of Toronto, Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd, Graz University of Technology, University of Queensland, Australia, among others, the review details a practical roadmap for embedding sex as a biological variable (SABV) across every tier of modern cell‑based neuroscience – from immortalised lines to multi‑organ chips.

“Historically, biomedical research relied almost exclusively on male models, overlooking critical biological differences between men and women. This omission skews data and ultimately compromises drug safety and efficacy” said Dr. Antonella Santuccione Chadha, CEO of WBF and senior author of the paper. 

The review highlights that women account for nearly two‑thirds of Alzheimer’s diagnoses, yet fewer than 15 % of preclinical Alzheimer’s studies analyse sex, and adverse drug reactions are reported almost twice as often in women as in men. Closing this gap, the authors show, will accelerate precision medicine for all. 

“By marrying next‑generation in‑vitro models with AI‑powered analytics, we can finally see the real signal — and it is often different for women and men,” said Dr. Nicola Marino, researcher at WBF and co‑author of the study. “Precision begins at the cell‑culture bench; when we feed truly inclusive data into our algorithms, everybody wins.” 

Key Takeaways 

• Sex blindness limits translation – male subjects still outnumber females by ~5.5 : 1 in preclinical neuroscience, hampering reproducibility and driving higher adverse‑event rates in women. 

• Advanced human‑based models are ready – iPSC‑derived neurons, brain organoids and organ‑on‑chip systems can now reproduce sex‑specific physiology and pathology. 

• AI is a force multiplier – machine‑learning pipelines uncover sex‑specific biomarkers, optimise experimental design and de‑risk drug discovery. 

• From policy to practice – journals, funders and industry must mandate SABV reporting and adopt the concrete best‑practice checklist proposed in the review. 

Precision starts with inclusion! Embracing sex‑specific science unlocks safer, more effective brain‑disorder treatments for everyone.

About the Women’s Brain Foundation 

The Women’s Brain Foundation is an independent Swiss-based non-profit research institute committed to closing the gender gap in brain and mental health. Through sex- and gender-precision research, advocacy, and education we champion equity in neuroscience and care. We foster a global community of interdisciplinary experts who conduct research and education, provide scientific advice and support, adapt emerging technologies such as AI to create solutions for better brain and mental health. Together, we strive to unlock the full potential of the women’s brain capital and drive meaningful change worldwide.

Learn about the recently launched WBF Educational Academy: https://www.womensbrainproject.com/membership/ 

Website: www.womensbrainproject.com 

Media Contact: 
Email: info@womensbrainfoundation.org